Alcohol abuse up among youngsters

It turns out that 20 percent of young males drink “a lot” at least once a week, which means six glasses of alcohol or more. The figure is 10 percent among young females.

Alcohol consumption is being considered as “risky” as from six glasses on a single occasion. Some 19 percent of the male respondents admitted drinking six glasses of alcohol or more within two hours at least once a week.

This figure is up from 12 percent in 2008 and 14 percent in 2013. Binge drinking remains a cause for concern, although there are big regional differences. Figures for Wallonia (29 percent) are almost double the figures for Flanders (15 percent) with Brussels at 5 percent.

While youngsters drink a lot on the same occasion, this is better spread among more mature adults, who also drink alcohol at a slower pace.

One last statistic: 13 percent of the Belgian population says that he or she has never touched a drop of alcohol, that’s about one in eight people.

Flandersnews.be / Expatica